1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved after hour depository and more particularly to an after hour depository which promotes increased safety against theft during opening and closing operations of the depository.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional after hour depository is typically constructed such that a chute extends from a depository's opening through the side wall of a bank building into a safe or a depositing receptacle. A door opening and closing device is typically arranged outwardly of an entrance chute so that a bag or an envelope containing money to be deposited slides therethrough due to its own dead weight when the door opening and closing device is operated.
A bag or envelope typically have a tag card attached thereto on which the value of money being deposited, a client number or the like due to the inherent size difference between bags and envelopes separate depositor openings are typically provided. After hour depositories must provide an optimum protective arrangement which prevents criminal activity conducted from the outside, for example, as by an unauthorized person retrieving the deposited bar or envelope with the use of a steel wire having a fishing hook or the like at its end. It should be noted that after hour depositories are normally operated during night hours when few people nearby. Thus, high safety is required for after hour depositories.
In general, criminal activity includes stealing of a bag an envelope, damaging or the depository, removal of the whole depository from its surrounding structure and others, each of which is typically carried out in the night hours. If an unauthorized person who is desirous of stealing a deposited bag or envelope is knowledgeable of the interior structure of the depository, a variety of security defeating operations may be devised and practiced without much difficulties. Due to the requirement for perfect protection from criminal activities, the conventional after hour depository becomes structurally complicated thereby increasing its manufacturing costs.
Particularly, since conventional locking mechanisms for after hour depositories are designed and constructed in a complicated manner, the number of manufacturing steps for the after hour depository is increased, resulting in an elevated manufacturing cost.